250 CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. 



by gamekeepers and the Wild Birds' Protection Act. 

 Mr. W. H. Hudson alludes to it as a persecuted 

 species. Well, that may be so. That is to say, in a 

 day's shoot it is a very useful bird to have in a cover 

 to give a good sporting shot when game is not 

 plentiful, but when you talk of persecution, I don't 

 suppose it has nearly such a rough time of it as a 

 Grouse, Pheasant, or Partridge. Of course, it is a 

 bird that can be shot with a gun license only, and 

 therefore affords sport to many a man who is unable 

 to pay for anything in the way of game shooting. 



I look upon the Woodpigeon in feather, and the 

 rabbit in fur, as two of the most useful adjuncts to a 

 shooting which may be called " mixed." The best 

 sport with Woodpigeons is when they come in to 

 roost. Then on the birds coming to or going from 

 the wood your skill will be tested to the utmost, for 

 the shots you are likely to get will be difficult ; and as 

 a Woodpigeon is capable of carrying a good deal of 

 lead away, you must be pretty forward on your 

 quarry to do much successful shooting. 



The Rock Dove. 



The Rock Dove, or Rock Pigeon, as it is more 

 commonly called, I think is a species that I have 

 met with principally in the islands that lie off the 

 west coast of Scotland, and is to be found on rocky 

 coasts wherever caves exist, for it confines itself 

 entirely to that sort of locality. 



Howard Saunders says that the purest breed of 

 this bird is to be found "in Ireland, especially among 



